CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND
There are a few traditions that signal the start of the festive season for me: cinnamon-spiced mulled wine, carol singing and, of course, Christmas markets. There’s something gloriously Dickensian about buying tins of gingerbread or glass baubles at little market stalls from the people who actually make them. But this year, we are going further afield for our purchases: all the way to Zürich, in fact.
Perched on the edge of Lake Zürich sits the beautiful Baur au Lac; more grand villa than hotel, it oozes luxury and charm. The 175-year-old property was a favourite of Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren, and it has such an air of old-world glamour that I almost expect to find them all sitting on the terrace drinking espressos under the chic striped awnings. Despite its luxurious looks, the Baur au Lac is a very friendly and inviting place. Nothing is too much trouble for the charming staff, who guide us up the grand staircase past a huge Christmas tree to our beautiful rooftop suite (one of
119 rooms at the hotel), filling us in on Zürich’s hotspots and suggesting cool places to eat and drink along the way. Their recommendations include Baurs, the hotel’s recently opened brasserie and bar. We are advised to ‘order a highball and people watch’.
Our opulent yet wonderfully tranquil suite is bigger than some of the flats I’ve rented, with a separate sitting room and an enormous marble bathroom complete with huge tub and wet room. Designed for maximum comfort, it’s tempting to hole up with a movie and a good book. However, the squishy sofas in the hotel’s candlelit lounge are beckoning, so we head down for a nightcap. So far, so magical.
The next morning, after a breakfast of warm pastries and thick, ‘proper’ hot chocolate overlooking the hotel’s beautiful gardens, we wrap up and head straight to the Christmas market at Sechseläutenplatz. It doesn’t disappoint, offering all the things we hope to experience, including clusters of twinkly wooden cabins alongside the beautiful lake (just a short walk from the hotel), and it’s packed full of artisan gifts (perfect stocking fillers) and pretty tree decorations. Stalls selling all manner of delicious treats tempt us at every turn and we eat chocolate waffles and home-made fudge with steaming mugs of spicy glühwein, while taking in the amazing views of the lake and mountains. It’s certainly the most glamorous of settings for a Christmas market. All that’s missing – on this occasion – was a dusting of snow. OONAGH BRENNAN
TRIP NOTES A deluxe double room costs from around £752 a night, based on two adults sharing on a room-only basis. Visit bauraulac.ch/en
‘STALLS SELLING ALL MANNER OF DELICIOUS TREATS TEMPT US AT EVERY TURN’